Elephant Dies While Giving Tourists a Ride -- Take Action to Stop This Abuse!

Recently, The Dodo posted an article about the tragic death of an elephant while giving rides to tourists in unbearable heat--up to 104 degrees Fahrenheit. A veterinarian who examined Sambo after the female elephant collapsed said she died of a heart attack "due to high temperatures, heat exhaustion and lack of wind that would have helped to cool her". 

These animals are literally being worked to death--shuttling tourists around under scorching temperatures. Aside from this abuse that's out in the open, there's also the abuse that these poor elephants endure behind closed doors to make them obedient and trainable. Referred to as the "training crush", this process involves beating and terrorizing elephants, including baby elephants, to crush their spirits to the point of submission. 

Sambo's death from extreme exhaustion is not an isolated incident. There are about 12,000 captive elephants in Asia under similar circumstances, including Vietnam, India, Indonesia and Thailand. Many elephants just like Sambo have collapsed and died from these seemingly innocent, romanticized elephant rides, or "treks". 

It's disheartening that this tourist attraction is still in high demand even as the world fights to prevent elephant extinction (with an estimated 100 African elephants dying every day by poachers). 

Sign this petition urging APSARA Authority to end elephant riding in Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

Next, join World Animal Protection in urging TripAdvisor Inc. to stop promoting and selling cruel wildlife tourist attractions.

The video below shows the gut-wrenching process of "crushing" elephants. Even if you can't get yourself to watch it, please spread the word to help put an end to elephant rides.

Why Everyone Should Watch Racing Extinction and #startwith1thing to Save Our World

I recently watched Racing Extinction, which premiered on The Discovery Channel. Although it was extremely depressing and left me both heavy-hearted and enraged, I was glad I saw it. I was obligated to see it.

In fact, everyone on this planet with a means to watch it or listen to it (i.e., not an infant/toddler nor those without all their mental faculties) have a moral obligation to see or hear it.

We can’t be a world of takers with a self-righteous, doesn’t-apply-to-me, not-my-problem, won’t-affect-my-lifetime mentality. This planet can’t sustain itself at the rate we’re destroying it, even though some say Mother Nature has a way of adapting, and others who believe in God and say that He who created the earth can also save it.

It’s time to set aside those beliefs and err on the side of caution. How many red flags does earth have to put up in order for everyone to feel that sense of urgency to do their part to save it?

If we destroy our only home, all the natural resources that sustain us, and the beauty that inspires us, what good will our money and material possessions (which drive destruction and extinction) do? They would be worthless.

For those who believe in God and the afterlife, just because we can’t take our worldly possessions with us when we die doesn’t mean we can just desecrate and dishonor what God created. It’s our responsibility to be a guardian for the earth and its inhabitants, to help nurture and care for them, and to leave this planet in better shape than it was.

We’re failing miserably at this. Although we are slowly awakening and making progress, the do-gooders are simply outnumbered by those with greed and/or apathy. 

If one person can and is contributing to the pollution, destruction and depletion of the earth and its resources, then that one person can also help reverse his or her impact and turn it into something good. 

Instead of being overwhelmed by what needs to be done to reverse this direction of doom we're in, let's #startwith1thing instead of tuning out and doing nothing. 

You can buy the DVD here or on Amazon, iTunes and Google Play. You can also look here for upcoming screenings in your area. 

Sign Petition to Stop Tiger Farming in China

Please sign Marina Kaufman's petition on Change.org to urge the Chinese government to ban tiger farms now before it's too late. 

Tiger bone wine, tiger-skin rugs, and dinner parties where people watch tigers get killed for entertainment are just some of the reasons the tiger farming industry in China is thriving.

There are 5,000 to 6,000 tigers in 200 government-supported farms, which house them in deplorable conditions--with little food, tiny cages, no trees ... they lie decrepit, agitated, some even motionless due to extreme malnutrition and misery.

With only 3,000 tigers left in the wild, this magnificent species is being poached to extinction. As this tiger farming industry renews the public's demand for tiger parts, wild tigers become more at risk since poaching them is more lucrative than raising captive tigers. Plus, consumers prefer wild tigers over "farm-raised". 

Please sign and share this petition with everyone you know. We need to act fast, and currently need 35,692 more signatures.

SIGN PETITION

Petition: Stop Government-Approved Pre-Slaughter Torture

A USDA-sponsored program that reduces the number of government inspectors in hog slaughterhouses means even more cases of merciless abuse and torture of animals. It's bad enough that these innocent, sentient beings are filled with fear knowing that they're being led to their brutal deaths. 

An investigation conducted by Compassion Over Killing at the Quality Pork Processors plant shows videos of hogs being slaughtered while completely conscious, squealing in pain as they bleed out. 

And why? Because this program makes the slaughter process faster ... even if it means torturing animals to their deaths and potentially tainting the food supply (by disregarding safety controls).

While I wish slaughterhouses don't even exist, we have to fight to repeal this program that takes inhumane treatment of farm animals to another level of vile cruelty. 

Sign the petition telling the USDA to repeal HACCP-Based Inspection Models Program (HIMP) and prevent the disgusting torture and suffering of these poor pigs.

Petition: Stop Selling Wool Clothing from Suffering Lambs

Clothing manufacturer and retailer Uniqlo continues to sell lambswool even though its best-selling item, HeatTech thermal wear, is from 100% manmade materials.

Lambs are typically sheared as young as seven months old. Since shearers are paid by the quantity of wool shorn, they are hasty and careless in the process. It's common for them to shear off large strips of lambs' skin to maximize the amount of wool. Other injuries they commonly inflict range from cuts on the skin to actually cutting off ears, udders or other body parts.

Reports of abuse are also prevalent, like sheep being kicked or punched to death. And the painful process of mulesing doesn't involve anesthesia, even when entire chunks of skin are carved out of the lambs' hindquarters to prevent parasitic infections. 

Considering Uniqlo's most popular item is manmade, they should discontinue featuring wool and lambswool in their collections.

Please sign the petition to urge Uniqlo to stop selling wool clothing from suffering lambs.

Petition: Save the Rare White Deer of Seneca

There are only about 200 white deer of Seneca Depot. They are now facing complete obliteration if the Seneca County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) gives the depot's 7,000 acres to the wrong bidder. Previous plans have always designated a permanent conservation area ... but not this time. 

The ideal conservation area would be approximately 1500 acres and include a 60-acre pond, which would provide a natural setting for the herd and native plants to thrive. 

Please join the Seneca Depot Conservation Alliance (SDCA) in urging the IDA to require bidders to set aside habitat for the white deer who are a part of New York heritage. You would also be helping other unique species such as Bald Eagles, Northern Harriers and Short-Eared Owls who inhabit the land.

Click here to sign the petition to save the rare white deer of Seneca.